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ALBANY — Same-sex marriage passed the Senate 33-29 late Friday, clearing the last legislative hurdle for it to become law. Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the measure, which takes effect in 30 days, just before midnight.

“What this bill will do is say that we are family,” said Tom Duane, D-Manhattan — only to be briefly interrupted by Lt. Gov. Bob Duffy and informed that he was speaking on the chapter amendments and not the main bill.

New York becomes the sixth, and largest, state to legalize same-sex weddings, and debate of a measure here has drawn considerable attention. A similar bill failed in the Senate in 2009 38-24, but strong support from Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat, and changes after the 2010 elections narrowed the gap.

The chamber was proceeding with vote on chapter amendments to the bill — strengthening language offering protection to churches and religious groups — when Sen. Steve Saland, R-Poughkeepsie, announced he would vote yes on the measure, providing the 32nd vote required for passage.

After an extended and legally technical description of the amendments, Saland thanked the governor and said with his characteristic deliberation that he would vote for the measure.

“My intellectual and emotional journey has ended here today,” he said. “I have to define doing the right thing as treating all persons with equality, and that equality includes within the definition of marriage. To do otherwise would fly in the face of my upbringing.”

Saland chose not to yield for questions to Sen. Ruben Diaz Sr., the sole Democratic opponent to same-sex marriage. The amendments passed the Senate 36-26.

Western New York Republican Mark Grisanti provided a fourth Republican vote. “I cannot legally come up with an argument against same-sex marriage,” he said.

Sen. Tom Duane, the openly gay Democrat who has carried the legislation in the chamber for years, spoke emotionally about coming out to his Catholic parents.

When the main bill came up for debate, Diaz took the opportunity to castigate Republicans for allowing the bill to come to the floor. He charged that the GOP had become “a tool of the Democratic governor.”

The Republican majority announced its intention to bring the bill to the floor just before 6 p.m.

“After many hours of deliberation and discussion over the past several weeks by members, it has been decided that same sex marriage legislation will be brought to the full Senate for an up or down vote,” Majority Leader Dean Skelos, R-Long Island, said in a statement.

In 2009, senators defeated a same-sex marriage bill 38-24.

This year, amid a major push by gay rights advocates and Gov. Andrew Cuomo, spent the past two weeks negotiating the language of the amendments, which include a clause prohibiting a judge from striking down the exemptions without striking down the marriage rights, explicit application to local non-discrimination laws, and language that would prohibit government entities from penalizing religious organizations or their officers from penalty at the hands of government.

Republican senators spent Friday discussing the issue — along with a tuition hike at the state’s public universities and an omnibus bill that will cap local property taxes, renew rent regulations in New York City and repeal some mandates on local governments — behind closed doors.

“There was a group that really was pushing for a (statewide) referendum,” said Sen. Betty Little, R-Queensbury. The idea was eventually discarded because it would not be able to become law for several years.

Two Republican senators had already committed to vote for the bill — Roy McDonald of Saratoga and Jim Alesi of Monroe County.

The main marriage bill passed the Assembly last week 80-63 and passed the amendments earlier Friday evening 82-47.

Demonstrators for and against the measure have been a constant presence at the Capitol all week, and continued their prayers, chants, and shouts Friday.

“This has been a catalyst,” said the Rev. Duane Motley, who favors traditional marriage and helped organize like-minded demonstrators. “They’ve awakened a sleeping giant.”

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